Tanzania set to host major health forum

Tanzania has been selected to host a three-day private health sector conference from May 14-16 organised by the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in collaboration with development partners.

The conference will focus on partnerships with participants from the private and public health sectors and members of the civil society, academia and donor agencies.

According to a statement availed to this paper from the Ministry, the conference is scheduled to bring together leading practitioners who drive the partnership experience and promote increased knowledge and understanding of the private health sector in Africa.

"To promote, exchange and cooperation between the public, private sectors, the conference will blend assembly speeches and panels, with smaller workshop groups that focus on particular case studies.

Engaging with the private sector in health is in line with the National Strategy for Growth and Reduction for Poverty, National Five Year Development Plan, National Health Policy, the National PPP Policy and the Health Sector Strategic Plan lll, according to the statement.

African healthcare systems are often poorly intergrated into the public health social system, preventing full utilization of the services, the statement said.

The conference is coordinated by the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbent (GTZ) on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the Tanzania Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in collaboration with USAID Center for Health Market Innovations/Results for Development, DANIDA and KIW Entwicklungsbank.